A division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was hearing a PIL by Narasimha Murthy and others against the BBMP for installing a garbage bin in front of a temple in East Bengaluru. The petition has promoted the high court to issue a series of instructions to the BBMP to ensure the city is free of black spots.

The court directive was in response to the BBMP’s claim that people were throwing garbage on even those spots which civic workers have beautified. “Pourakarmikas have drawn rangoli and painted black spots after cleaning them up. Yet people continue to throw garbage,” BBMP advocate D N Nanjunda Reddy said.

The court asked the BBMP to file criminal cases against those spotted littering and impose penalty as per the provisions under Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976.

While adjourning the case for November 15, the bench also asked the city corporation to submit an affidavit with details of the action taken against offenders during the next hearing.

The high court, which is monitoring important issues plaguing Bengaluru including advertisement hoardings, storm water drains and garbage, has been issuing timelines to the city corporation to set the things right. During the last hearing, BBMP had submitted before the court that it had cleared 95% of the garbage and it will soon make the city garbage-free.

BBMP’s Solid Waste Management Commissioner D Randeep has said that marshals have been deployed in several wards to catch those who are seen disposing garbage in public places at night.